Trapped in my head

Aria's Pov

I felt trapped in Sage's guest bedroom, sitting on the bed with my mind spinning with conflicting feelings, surrounded by stark white walls.

Three days had passed since my world had been turned upside down, yet the shock still lingered.

The mere mention of Darian, Scarlet, Kaine, and the death sentence was overwhelming. It was an unbearable weight on my conscience.

"Davina?" I whispered, reaching out once more to the silent void where my inner wolf should be. Nothing. Not even a flicker of acknowledgment.

A soft knock at the door startled me from my reverie. "Aria? Are you okay there?" Sage's concerned voice filtered through the wood.

I cleared my throat, suddenly aware of how dry it felt. "Yeah, I'm... I'm fine. You can come in."

The door creaked open, and Sage's wild curls appeared, followed by her amber eyes, glinting with worry. She padded over to the bed, her movements fluid and graceful, a stark reminder of what I lacked.

"You've been staring at that wall for hours," she said, settling beside me. "Spill it, girl. What's going on in that head of yours?"

I sighed, running a hand through my tangled hair. "It's just... everything. Scarlet, Darian, the failed transformation, the poisoning... and Kaine." My cheeks flushed involuntarily at the mention of his name.

Sage's eyebrows shot up. "Kaine? What about him?"

"I can't stop thinking about that moment," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. "When I knelt before him, pleading for Scarlet's life. And then he touched me, made me stand up, and I felt... something."

Sage scowled once more. I had revealed to her that I had kneeled before the King, and she had strongly disapproved of my actions.

"Something?" Sage pressed, leaning in closer.

I struggled to find the right words. "It was like an electric shock, but not painful. More like... a connection. As if my entire being recognized him on some primal level."

Sage's eyes widened. "Holy crap, Aria. That sounds intense. What did Davina say about it?"

The mention of my wolf sent a pang of worry through my chest. "That's just it. Davina was excited, and said she was sure now that the connection had been established. But before I could ask what she meant, she went silent. And she hasn't spoken since."

"Three days of silence? That's not normal,maybe it's the lingering effect of the poisoning," Sage mused, her brow furrowing. "What exactly did Dr. Edward say?"

I closed my eyes, recalling the pack doctor's words. "He said Davina was weak, that she might be silent for hours at a time. But this... this feels different. It's like she's just... gone."

Sage reached out, squeezing my hand. "Hey, look at me. We'll figure this out, okay? Maybe we should talk to Dr. Edward again, see if there's anything else he can do."

I nodded, grateful for her unwavering support. "Thanks, Sage. I don't know what I'd do without you right now."

She grinned, some of her usual mischief returning to her eyes. "Probably go crazy staring at these boring walls. Now, about this 'connection' with Kaine...Do you think he could be a relative of yours, perhaps a distant cousin? It's unlikely that he's your mate, otherwise he would have already claimed you. Unless, of course, the poison has caused confusion with the mating bond."

In all honesty, the thought had crossed my mind. I was almost certain that his first words in the forest included "mate," but I was so sick and hurting that night that I may have misinterpreted it. The ramifications of being mated to someone who openly confessed to causing my mother's death would be devastating for me. It was a horrifying possibility to consider.

I hated lying, but I couldn't bring myself to tell Sage that Kaine was the one who killed my mother. It felt like I was betraying her, but deep down, I knew it was necessary. This secret had to stay between Kaine and me.

If I told anyone else, they would surely try to dissuade me from seeking revenge. Kaine was highly respected within the werewolf community and he was the reason why we still existed in this part of the world. But why did he kill my mother? Was she gravely injured and he ended her suffering out of pity? I wish I could ask him that question, but I promised him not to bring up my mother for a year.

I groaned, flopping back onto the bed, answering Sage's question. "No, I don't think so, we are not related, my dad was already dead at the start of the war and didn't know much about his family. I don't even know what to think about that. He's the Alpha, the King of Werewolves. And I'm just... me. A failed wolf who can't even transform."

Sage snorted. "Just you? Aria, you're one of the strongest people I know. You've been through hell this week, and you're still standing. That's not nothing."

Her words brought comfort, but I couldn't shake off the lingering doubts in my mind.

"But what if I'm not strong enough? What if Davina never comes back?"

Sage's expression turned serious. "Then we'll deal with that if it happens. But right now, we need to focus on getting you back on your feet. And maybe figuring out what's going on with this Kaine situation."

I sat up, meeting her gaze. "You're right. I can't just sit here wallowing. But where do we even start?"

A slow, slightly wicked grin spread across Sage's face. "Well, I might have an idea or two. But first, we need to get you out of this room. How about a run in the woods? Might help clear your head."

For the first time in days, I felt a spark of something like hope. "You know what? That actually sounds perfect."

As we headed out, I cast one last glance at the silent corner of my mind where Davina should be.

—————-

The next morning, I woke up feeling more refreshed than I had in days but Davina was still silent. Sage and I had gone for a long run in the woods again, talking about everything and nothing. It felt good to just let go of my worries for a little while.

As we were heading back to her apartment, I remembered that I had an appointment with Dr. Edward. He was the pack doctor who also helped me to reshift last year.

As we approached the pack house, a sense of awe washed over me. It was my first time laying eyes on this grand structure, and its imposing presence was impossible to ignore.

The house was in a dark forest, owned by Kaine's werewolf pack. It was made of old stone covered in ivy and had tall windows. The door was intricately carved and the gardens were beautiful and surrounded by wild nature.

As someone who had rarely ventured outside of the orphanage, I was extremely impressed by what I saw.

Sage left me to get ready while she went to find some food. There was a small queue outside Dr. Edward's office when I arrived.

"Morning Aria Greywind!" Mellie greeted me from behind her desk as she saw me enter.

Sage informed me previously that Mellie was not only Dr. Edward's assistant, but also Kaine's younger sister. This came as a surprise to me.

I flashed a smile at her, trying to ignore the fact that she was Kaine's sister, "Hello Miss," I answered politely.

"Miss?" She raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I'm only a few years older than you, and my name is Mellie, not Miss. How are you doing?" She asked, genuinely concerned about me.

I shrugged, not wanting to burden her with my problems. "I'm okay."

She nodded and gestured towards the door of Dr. Edward's office. "He's expecting you."

I thanked her and made my way inside, taking a seat in front of his desk as he looked over some papers.

"So Aria," Dr. Edward spoke softly, "how are you feeling today?"

"I'm better than yesterday, I was able to shift properly yesterday and this morning, I even went to run with Sage," I replied honestly.

"That's good to hear," he said with a smile before getting straight to business. "Now let's take a look at your wounds."

Dr. Edward gave my injuries a thorough examination, paying particular attention to the scratches I sustained while shifting back and forth that night in the forest and cleaned them before giving me some potions to drink that would help speed up my healing process.

"Now for the more important matter," he said seriously as he put away his supplies, "I must ask you about your emotional well-being and your wolf inside. I can only imagine how excited you must be to finally meet her. Do you remember when I said a year ago that you may not have a wolf? What a miracle it is to know that I was wrong and thankfully so."

I hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm...struggling with Davina."

Mellie burst into the room, accompanied by a breathless guard with droplets of blood on his uniform and hands. "Doctor, we need you in the dungeons. Scarlet Ravens has attempted suicide."

Without thinking, I stood up and followed them in the hallway. They didn't try to stop me. My heart was pounding in my chest, feeling as if it might burst at any moment.

By the moon goddess, Kaine had warned that the mark would kill her if she tried to take her own life. But now, Scarlet has done just that.

"What have you done, Scarlet?" I exclaimed, hurrying behind Mellie, Dr. Edward, and the guard as they rushed towards the dungeon stairs. We needed to heal Scarlet before Kaine found out what she had done.

But just as we reached the cells, I collided with a massive figure. I immediately recognized him - Kaine.

His piercing grey eyes seemed to see right through me as I looked up at him in fear.

Deep inside me, I heard a soft voice calling me. Davina's voice.

"Aria! Be careful ! I can sense his anger from here."